SNAP4CT Blog

It's finally summer, and outdoor eating is what it's all about! Hosting a party or headed to a potluck? Below are 5 quick recipes to make your menu. These aren't just simple and tasty, they're also healthy! So no need to feel guilty if you've been hitting the ice cream a little too hard... Hey, it's hot out... It happens!

If you've bought veggies from farmers' markets recently (using SNAP!), you may have gotten some with green tops still attached. Don't throw them away! Leafy green tops from carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes can be blended into a tasty pesto. Watch the how-to video, grab the pesto recipe to make yourself, then drizzle it on pasta, chicken, veggies, or on bread!

Veggie Top Pesto

Ingredients:

2 cups radish tops (or 1 cup other veggie topsand 1 cup basil)

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons grated hard cheese (like parmesan)

2 tablespoons walnuts

1 clove garlic

juice from 1 lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.

Use your pesto to top pasta, roasted vegetables, chicken, or whatever needs a little flavor!

You've used the greens, now use the veggies attached to them! Here are a few recipes to try:

When you toss out veggie "scraps", you may be throwing money away. Don't throw out clippings. Regrow them! Below is a table of vegetables that grow from planting the root or seed. If you have to start them in water, you can plant them in soil once the new growth forms.

beet greens 💦

​celery 💦

cabbage

fennel 💦

garlic

ginger

​leeks

onions​

potatoes

romaine lettuce

scallions 💦

​sweet potatoes​

💦 = Start in a small amount of water first (enough to cover the root).

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​This information was funded by the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP.SNAP helps low-income people buy nutritious food for a better diet. To get more information contact the CT Department of Social Services at 1 855 626-6632 or www.CT.gov/dss.